Nominate a Spotlight

Leave No Trace Spotlights build community through connecting land managers, partners, volunteers, and the public around a shared commitment to protecting the places we love. 

Spotlights are designed to energize local Leave No Trace efforts by rallying the community, connecting partners, and inspiring continued action. This free program provides opportunities for Leave No Trace training, community outreach, and volunteer stewardship. Selected areas receive up to 3 days of Leave No Trace on-the-ground programs for staff, partners, and the local community.

Spotlights also offer a pathway toward Leave No Trace Gold Standard Designation through education, resources, and programming that inspire continued Leave No Trace implementation. 

Before nominating a Spotlight, please read the Host Guide to understand the responsibilities, planning timeline, and commitment required of the host site for a successful Spotlight activation. To nominate a site, you will also need to identify a co-host who will share these responsibilities. Spotlight nominations can come from:

• Land Managers: Those who work within a park or protected area
• Local Organizations: Friends Groups, non-profits, etc., so long as these groups have support from the land manager for the site and can meet all host responsibilities.
  • It is important to have the full support of the land managers and stakeholders associated with the site before going through with a nomination. If you are a concerned citizen looking to nominate your favorite park, we recommend reaching out directly to the site leadership or local group and making them aware of the opportunity to become a Leave No Trace Spotlight instead of submitting the nomination on a site’s behalf.

• Spotlights entail up to 3 days of on-site programs with one or two programs per day. The planning process for the Spotlight takes place over the 3-4 months leading up to the activation and involves working closely with Leave No Trace staff and attending multiple virtual planning meetings.

The focus of the Spotlight is to build momentum for community led conservation through multiple programs including 1 or 2 from each of the following categories:

• Stewardship Project(s) that is open to the general public – e.g., cleanup, trailwork, revegetation, campsite restoration, etc.
• Educational Workshops – this can include staff and volunteer training, Effective Communication of Leave No Trace, a Youth Educator Workshop, an Introduction to Leave No Trace Workshop, or a youth program
• Community Outreach – This can include boothing at an existing festival, a Leave No Trace Trivia Night, trailhead outreach, pop-up education at a local business, etc.

Yes! Although there is no fee to participate in the Spotlight program, it is important for the host organization/agency to understand the roles, responsibilities, and the time commitment required for a successful Spotlight activation.

Spotlight hosts work closely with Leave No Trace to plan and promote the Spotlight. Hosts will need to attend multiple virtual planning calls with Leave No Trace, select program types, secure venues and permissions for programs, promote programs through multiple outlets and invite local audiences, act as the onsite contact during programs, and handle onsite logistics for volunteer project (incl tools, waivers, instruction, etc).

Yes. While one person can take the lead on planning the Spotlight, a co-host is required to ensure there is a backup contact should something change during the planning process. Your co-host can be a member of the same orgnization, a separate organization, or an active volunteer.

Nominations are reviewed by a panel and selections are based on a number of criteria including but not limited to:

• On-the-ground staffing resources for a successful activation
• Potential for engaging new or large audiences with Leave No Trace
• Geographic location – we are looking to engage sites all across the country and also from different types of settings and agencies i.e. municipal parks in urban areas, state or regional parks and open spaces, federally managed parks, etc. 
• Alignment of timing with Leave No Trace staff capacity and strategic goals

Successful Spotlights unite community groups and members to rally around protecting our outdoor spaces. The most impactful events engage existing partners and volunteers while also reaching new groups and communities.

Strong participation requires effective promotion. Hosts play a key role in ensuring each program is widely publicized and well-attended. Using multiple channels, including email, newsletters, social media, website calendars, local media, and community networks, is essential.

While Leave No Trace provides support and promotional resources, the most successful Spotlights are those where the local host takes an active and lead role in spreading the word, building excitement, and inspiring community involvement.

Leave No Trace staff will notify all sites of their acceptance status on a rolling basis starting in late 2025 and early 2026. Depending on the number of nominations, a second nomination period may be opened in the future for additional 2026 Spotlight sites.

Spotlights from this nomination period will take place in 2026. Exact dates will be determined after sites are selected and will depend on host preferences compared to the availability of the Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Team and other factors. We suggest holding a 3-day Spotlight activation from Thursday-Saturday to allow both weekday and weekend events.

No, Spotlights are their own unique program. Hot Spots have a more internal focus with multiple stakeholder meetings, intensive information gathering, and a detailed analysis with recommendations on future program implementation and adjustments. Spotlights are more focused on the community with opportunities for outward facing programs to build momentum and inspire local action and involvement. You can find out more about the Hot Spot program here.

At Leave No Trace, we believe communities are the solution to conservation issues. We identified a need to create more opportunities for communities and individuals to be that solution. We want to connect more Leave No Trace champions to local conservation efforts, and provide more communities with support as they tackle challenges facing their outdoor areas. Spotlights also offer a pathway toward Leave No Trace Gold Standard Designation through education, resources, and programming that inspire continued Leave No Trace implementation.